NCERT Solutions Class-11 Polity Chapter-3 Election and Representation– This article includes the free NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Polity Chapter 3 Election and Representation. It will help the students of Class 11 to learn the solutions and ace their exams. It has been developed by the subject matter experts at GFG, according to the latest CBSE Syllabus 2023-24, and guidelines. It helps the students of Class 11 create a solid conceptual base for Polity Chapter 3 Election and Representation.

The solutions to all the exercises in Class 11 Polity Chapter 3 Election and Representation of your NCERT textbook have been collectively covered in NCERT Solution for Class 11 (2024-2025).

Solutions of Class-11 Polity Chapter-3: Election and Representation

Here are the results of the Tamil Nadu Assembly Election held in 1996. (Page – 62)

• What would be the composition of the Assembly if it was a PR system like in Israel?
• Which party would have a majority?
• Who would form the government?
• What would be the effect of this system on the relationship of political parties?

Answer:

In Israel, the 120 seat Knesset is elected using a PR system. Each party that crosses a threshold always wins the seat in proportion.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)

It refers the general principle which can be found in any electoral system.

The proportion of Muslims in the population of India is about 13.5 per cent. But the number of Muslim MPs in the Lok Sabha has usually been less than 6 per cent, less than half of their share in population. A similar situation prevails in most State Assemblies. Three students drew different conclusions from this fact. Write down whether and why you agree or disagree with each of them. (Page – 66)

Hilal: This demonstrates the unfairness of the FPTP system. We should have opted for PR system.

Arif: This shows the wisdom of granting reservations to SC and ST. What is needed is a reservation of seats for Muslims on the same lines as for SC and ST.

Saba: There is no point in talking about Muslims as a whole. Muslim women are not going to get any share in any of these systems. We need a separate quota for Muslim women.

Answer:

Here, each perspective has a valuable insight as they all are complex issues. In the PR systems, the gender quota and reservations have their own merits. As Hilal said the FPTP system tends to favor a large number of systems in favor of large parties. Arif said that the reservation has been effective in ensuring the representation. At last, Saba said that Muslim women face multiple layers of discrimination based on both religion and gender.

Why do you think does the Election Commission have the following powers and privileges? What could have happened if these did not exist? (Page – 72)

The Commission can issue orders to government employees engaged in any election related duty.

The government cannot remove the Chief Election Commissioner.

The Commission can cancel an election if it thinks that it was not fair.

Answer:

The Election Commission of India has major powers and privileges to ensure fairness and integrity to conduct smooth processes in election times. The Commission can issue orders to government employees engaged in any election-related duty. The government employees a major role in conducting elections and voter registration through polling station management. The chief election commissioner is the head of the Election Commission who ensures the integrity of the election process. The cancellation of an election may cause election malpractice with voter intimidation and tampering with the votes. 

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Polity Chapter 3: Election and Representation – Exercise

Which of the following resembles most a direct democracy?

(a) Discussions in a family meeting

(b) Election of the class monitor

(c) Choice of a candidate by a political party

(d) Decisions taken by the Gram Sabha

(e) Opinion polls conducted by the media

Answer:

(b) Election of the class monitor

(d) Decisions taken by the Gram Sabha

Which of the following tasks are not performed by the Election Commission?

(a) Preparing the Electoral Rolls

(b) Nominating the candidates

(c) Setting up polling booths

(d) Implementing the model code of conduct

(e) Supervising the Panchayat elections

Answer:

(b) Nominating the candidates

(e) Supervising the Panchayat elections

Which of the following is common to the method of election of the members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha?

(a) Every citizen above the age of 18 is an eligible voter.

(b) Voter can give preference order for different candidates.

(c) Every vote has equal value.

(d) The winner must get more than half the votes.

Answer:

(c) Every vote has equal value.

In the First Past the Post system, that candidate is declared winner who:

(a) Secures the largest number of postal ballots

(b) Belongs to the party that has highest number of votes in the country

(c) Has more votes than any other candidate in the constituency

(d) Attains first position by securing more than 50% votes

Answer:

(c) Has more votes than any other candidate in the constituency

What is the difference between the system of reservation of constituencies and the system of separate electorate? Why did the Constitution makers reject the latter?

Answer:

In the system of reserved constituency, all voters are eligible to vote but the candidates may belong to a particular community. The system of a seperate electorate is a representative process where people can be elected from a particular community.

Which of the following statements are incorrect? Identify and correct them by substituting, adding or rearranging only one word or phrase.

(a) FPTP system is followed for all the elections in India.

(b) Election Commission does not supervise Panchayat and Municipal elections.

(c) President of India cannot remove an Election Commissioner.

(d) Appointment of more than one Election Commissioner in the Election Commission is mandatory.

Answer:

(a) The FPTP system is generally followed for election in some sectors including Panchayati Raj, the Legislative Assembly, and the Lok Sabha.

(b) The Election Commission does not supervise Panchayat and Municipal elections and this is correct.

(c) The President of India can remove an Election Commissioner with a special majority of both parliaments.

(d) Appointment of more than one Election Commissioner in the Election Commission is not mandatory.

Indian electoral system aims at ensuring representation of socially disadvantaged sections. However we have only 12 per cent women members in our legislatures. What measures would you suggest to improve the situation?

Answer:

Women representation in the Parliament and the state legislature is less and to improve them there are certain measures have been implemented –

33 percent of seats in the Parliament and State Legislature are reserved for women.

Political awareness is brought amongst the women and all political parties give a chance to the women.

Here are some wishes expressed in a conference to discuss a constitution for a new country. Write against each of these whether FPTP or Proportional Representation system is more suited to meet each of these wishes.

(a) People should clearly know who is their representative so that they can hold him or her personally accountable.

(b) We have small linguistic minorities who are spread all over the country; we should ensure fair representation to them.

(c) There should be no discrepancy between votes and seats for different parties.

(d) People should be able to elect a good candidate even if they do not like his or her political party.

Answer:

(a) FPTP system

(b) Proportional Representation system

(c) Proportional Representation system

(d) FPTP system

A former Chief Election Commissioner joined a political party and contested elections. There are various views on this issue. One view is that a former Election Commissioner is an independent citizen and has a right to join any political party and to contest election. According to the other view, leaving this possibility open can affect the impartiality of the Election Commission. So, former Election Commissioners must not be allowed to contest any elections. Which position do you agree with and why?

Answer:

A former Election Commissioner is an independent citizen and they have the right to join any political party. They can contest elections after leaving the position. Being a citizen of the country, they have all rights to join the political party.

“Indian democracy is now ready to shift from a crude First Past the Post system to a system of Proportional Representation”. Do you agree with this statement? Give your reasons for or against this statement.

Answer:

In my opinion, Indian democracy is not ready to make a shift from the First Past the Post system to a system of the Proportional Representation. The Proportional Representation is a system which is very complex and not easy at all. The system encourages party competition.

People Also Read:

• Election System in India
• Election and Representation Class 11 Polity Notes
• Class 11 School Polity Chapter 2: Election System in India

FAQs – NCERT Solutions Class-11 Polity Chapter-3: Election and Representation

What is the concept of representation in India?

Each party fills its quota of seats by picking those many of its nominees from a preference list that has been declared before the elections. This system of elections is called the Proportional Representation (PR) system. In this system a party gets the same proportion of seats as its proportion of votes.

How are representatives elected in a democracy?

The voters who live in an area elect one representative. For Lok Sabha elections, India is divided into 543 constituencies. The representative elected from each constituency is called a Member of Parliament or an MP.

What is the process of election of the Indian Parliament in brief?

Elections to the Lok Sabha (and also to Vidhan Sabhas) are carried out using a first-past-the-post electoral system. The country is split up into separate geographical areas/known as constituencies, and the electors can cast one vote each for a candidate, the winner being the candidate who gets the most votes.

What is the importance of a representative system?

Representative democracy is important since it helps the people to know their representatives before electing them. People cannot be expected to have the time or interest to make important and regular decisions. Hence the representative democracy makes the elected leader accountable for the people’s decisions.

Which are the two ways of representative democracy?

A liberal democracy is a representative democracy with rule of law, protection for individual liberties and rights, and limitations on the power of the elected representatives. An illiberal democracy is a representative democracy with weak or no limits on the power of the elected representatives to rule as they please.